Coast guard vessels from Japan and Taiwan duelled with water cannons on Tuesday after dozens of Taiwanese boats escorted by patrol ships sailed into waters around the Tokyo-controlled islands known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

Coast guard vessels from Japan and Taiwan duelled with water cannons on Tuesday after dozens of Taiwanese boats escorted by patrol ships sailed into waters around the Tokyo-controlled islands known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

Japan's Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto, second left, and his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith reviewed the honor guards at the defense ministry in Tokyo on Tuesday. Mr. Smith is on a three-day visit to Tokyo.

Japan's Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto, second left, and his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith reviewed the honor guards at the defense ministry in Tokyo on Tuesday. Mr. Smith is on a three-day visit to Tokyo.